Aerial ladder



UNITED STATES PATENT CFF CE.

v JAMES D. ALEXANDER, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

AERIAL LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,320, dated March 27, 1894.

Application filed November 15, 1893- Serial No. 490,998. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES D. ALEXANDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aerial Ladders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in aerial ladders for fire departments, and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and definitely pointed out in the claims.

The aim and purpose of the invention is the provision of an improved ladder of the nature above indicated, which will be especially adapted for assisting in extinguishing fires at a lofty elevation, without endangering the firemen or attendants. This object is attained by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the ladder extended. Fig. 2 is a front view. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the rung bracket, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the upper or nozzle section of the pipe.

In the drawings A represents a truck which may be of any desired form. B the lower, and O the upper or extension ladder, mounted on the lower ladder and having the actuating cords 0' connected therewith for elevating andlowering the same, all of known construction.

Secured centrally on the upper face of the upper ladder and extending the entire length thereof is a rigid integral pipe D formed preferably of steel, its lower end projecting below the lowermost rung, and its upperend extending above the upper end of the ladder and bent at an angle of about fifteen degrees.

section of flexible hose G carrying on its outer end the nozzle H. L is a rope connected with the extreme outer end of the nozzle and extending down in proximity to the lower end of the upper ladder. A suitable coupling is connected to the lower end of the pipe by which the hose may be connected thereto. On the lower end portion of the metal pipe is a collar K rigidly secured, and from this collar extends a lever K at right angles to the pipe.

In operation the ladder being elevated, the hose attached to the pipe and water being forced into the pipe, the flexible section of hose between the nozzle and bent end of the pipe will be straightened out in line with the bent section, and owing to the slight bend the water will have practically a free movement through the pipe.

When it is desired to depress the nozzle the cord or rope attached thereto is drawn down. By this meansthe nozzle has a large vertical range. To direct the nozzle right or left, or in a horizontal direction, the operator presses on the lever K which owing to the even bearings between the pipe and sleeves or sockets, will readily move or rotate the pipe and thereby carry the nozzle to the desired point.

In addition to the means for directing the nozzle, the employment of the integral or rigid pipe,secured at several points to the ladder, and extending the length thereof, greatly strengthens the ladder and prevents the same from bending or springing under a load.

It will be seen that by my construction all ropes and gearings for moving the nozzle horizontally are dispensed with, and an exceedingly simple and durable device employed.

I am aware that many minor changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts of the device can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described Without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an aerial ladder, the combination with the upper section, of a rigid pipe thereonextending below and above the same, a series of rigid sleeves on the ladder having bearing on their upper faces and through which the pipe loosely passes, collars rigid onthe pipe rests in; on the bearings, a nozzle on the upper end of the pipe, and a lever rigid on the lower end of the pipe for turningthe same, substantially as described. I

2. In anaerial ladder, the combination with a. ladder section, of two or more apertured bearings secured to and extending out laterally from the same at difierent points, a rotary p'ip'e rigid throughout the length of and extending longitudinally the section through the bearin gs, fixed bearing projections on the pipe resting on said other bearings, and means for turning the pipe on the bearin gs, substantially as described.

3. In an aerial ladder, the combination with the upper section, of a series of laterally extending sleeves secured to the rungs thereof, braces connected to the outer edges of the sleeves and to the adjacent rungs, a singlepiece metallic pipe passing through the sleeves and extending the length of the section, its upper end being bent at an angle, collars on the pipe resting on the sleeves, a flexible section of hose on the bent end, a nozzle on the hose, a cord connected to the nozzle, and alever fixedly secured to the lower end of the pipe, substantially as described. 7

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES D. ALEXANDER. Witnesses:

H. E. NEAL, H. O. BINKLEY. 

